On the day that Colonel Fitzwilliam, Miss Darcy, and her companion returned to London, Miss Darcy was soon delivered to Matlock House. Her aunt, Lady Matlock, took her upstairs and comforted her after the reminder of what had nearly happened the previous summer.
Lady Matlock was one of the few privy to the details of the summer in Ramsgate. She had not even shared the details with her husband, knowing he would likely use the matter to encourage a match between Miss Darcy and one of her male cousins. Lord Matlock was not an evil man or a vicious one. He would never force Miss Darcy to wed nor blackmail her guardians, but he likely would be most persistent about the matter. Indeed, he was the one who kept telling Darcy that he must wed, either one of his female cousins or one of the many heiresses that Lord Matlock invited to dinners whenever Darcy was present. Lady Matlock thought her husband was as bad as any of the matchmaking mamas.
Fitzwilliam made his way immediately to Darcy House, where he presented the note Darcy had written. The butler led him into the study and allowed Richard to be about his business. He gathered the vowels that Darcy had on hand for Wickham from the safe and sent a rider to deliver a note to Darcy's solicitor to expect him on Monday for the rest. Another note was sent to a well-known debt collector. If all went to plan, Wickham would no longer be able to impose himself on anyone.
"Tis such a shame that the Netherfield party had to depart, but I suppose Miss Bingley would not have liked to miss anymore of the little season," said Mary two days after party had visited.
"Indeed," said Elizabeth, not knowing what else to say without responding to the real reason that the party had made such haste to depart.
"But I am certain I shall adore calling on them in London," said Mary, "It will be pleasant to have some of Aunt's music to share with Miss Darcy. Perhaps she will have some additional music at her London home as well. It does grow tiresome without any change."
"Perhaps," said Elizabeth, "but do remember what Miss Birch said. 'One must play a piece a hundred times before it is ready to be played for a large company'."
"I know," said Mary, "and I have no qualms with practice. I know Miss Birch is quite right. Yet, I do so love new music."
"I cannot say anything against that, dear sister," said Elizabeth, "for you well know that I am not one to turn up my nose at the variety of life."
The sisters then turned back to their embroidery work and spoke of what diversions they hoped would come throughout the festive season. Mary embroidered Charlotte's wedding gown, adding ivory vines and flowers to the gown of the same colour. The embroidery was quite intricate, but as it was only to cover the bodice, Mary was confident she could finish the task in the fortnight that remained, so long as Sarah -the only maid that could do fancy embroidery- could occasionally be spared to assist. Elizabeth, whose skills were not so great, worked only on the day gowns that would supplement Charlotte's trousseau.
"I am sure Miss Bingley would despise us if she knew that we were to work such hours on our new sister's wedding clothes," said Elizabeth with sour remembrance of their acquaintance.
"I do not think it uncommon," said Mary, "for I know Mrs. Richardson and her sisters worked tirelessly on her wedding clothes. One would have to be very wealthy indeed to employ enough people to work long hours on wedding clothes when they might be about other tasks. I do not know what the custom is in town, but I cannot think it so very different."
"Nearly all of Miss Bingley's and Mrs. Hurst's dinner gowns are embroidered with such fine work that it would take days to finish a single gown. I do not doubt that they may do a piece here or there, simply to have something to show to gentlemen when they must illustrate their accomplishments, but I do not think they spend all day at the task."
"Perhaps not," said Mary, "but I did not see so very many of their gowns, as I was abed. Miss Darcy does embroider her own dresses and bonnets very often. She was often working on a sash for one of her gowns when she sat and talked with me. It is quite lovely. I believe she said she was to wear the gown to attend a relation's wedding."
"The Darcys, although wealthier than the Bingleys, are not the same. I am certain Mr. Darcy does not permit his sister to spend money uselessly, not if his sister has the skill to complete the task. Did she say which of her relations was to wed?"
"A cousin, I think, but perhaps I am only remembering a cousin because Mr. Darcy was so often writing to his cousins. I am sure though, were it Lord Barlow or Lady Henrietta -Lord Barlow and Colonel Fitzwilliam's sister- Colonel Fitzwilliam would have said something about such a happy occurrence when he mentioned them in our conversations."
"Did you often speak of the colonel's relations with him? What a singular topic of conversation!" teased Elizabeth.
"I- Well, I have very often been in company with Georgiana," said Mary with a blush, "and as her guardian, he often was with us as well."
"I do not mean to embarrass you, sister," said Elizabeth, although that was a slight falsehood. She did enjoy learning that Mary was not so prim that she could not find a man's company appealing. Still, Elizabeth turned the conversation back to the upcoming wedding, the homecoming of their younger sisters, and the arrival of their relations.
Before long, James, Charlotte, and Maria Lucas burst through the door, full of good cheer. Greetings were given. Charlotte admired the sisters' work on her behalf and thanked them for their exertions. As the trio was cold from being out of doors, tea was called, and the gowns set away so they would not become spoiled by a spill.
They shared news of the tenants, including the news that little Mary had taken to the glass bottles well enough. She did fuss at them more than she did at the breast or cloth, but all her caregivers supposed that it was better for her than the flannel. It seemed that several of the tenants had been stricken with the same illness that had afflicted Mary, but now that Mr. Jones knew the treatments, all were on their way to recovery except little Matthew Hae. He had been ill before Mary. James supposed he was the source of Mary's infection, for she had brought him soup and winter clothes a week before she fell ill. No one had supposed it to be anything more than a cough. The elder Mr. Hae was far too proud to ask for help from the Bennets regarding such a thing. Now the Bennets quite wished they had, for perhaps Matthew might have received his treatment sooner. As it was, Mr. Jones was hopeful for his recovery, but it was by no means a certainty.
No one wished to continue such a melancholy subject much longer, and therefore Charlotte thanked her friends again for their work on her wedding clothes.
"I feel guilty that we should be wandering all about while you sit here and toil for me," said Charlotte.
"Nonsense," said Mary, "As Mr. Jones is not yet confident that I should be allowed out in the cold, I do so appreciate your visiting the tenants. Otherwise, I would be quite concerned and without any way of finding relief."
"Besides, dearest Charlotte, although I do love you so well," said Elizabeth, "You must admit that your embroidery is not equal to Mary's. I daresay few measure up in all of England."
"You give me far too much credit, Lizzy," said Mary.
"Perhaps not all of England, but I will say in Hertfordshire. Perhaps London boasts some more talented, but few in our county."
"Indeed," agreed James, "You must not be shy about accepting compliments, Mary. You do deserve the praise. You are so very talented."
As Mary was now quite past the point of embarrassment, Charlotte asked when the Gardiners would be arriving. James informed them that the Gardiners were only to stay the night before the wedding and one night after, for the little season was in full swing in London. Although Mr. Gardiner was wealthy enough, and his business was well established enough that he could leave his affairs in the hands of his staff, he preferred to oversee things himself whenever it was possible. The Bennets were further disappointed that the children would not attend, for the Gardiners did not wish to take two such journeys in only a few days with four children in tow. Although all understood the sentiments and why such choices were made, both of the sisters were quite disappointed that they would not see their little cousins.
Foster was quite surprised at the debt collector that stood before him. Mr. Wickham was all that was amiable and polite and seemed to play cards no more than any of the other men of his regiment. Still, the five hundred pounds of debt on the table did not lie. It seemed that Mr. Wickham went from place to place, leaving debts in his wake when he relocated every few months. There were debts from nearly a score of counties, including a great many from London and a town in Derbyshire named Kympton.
"Sanderson! Carter!" yelled the Colonel to two of his men that he knew to be in the next room. They presented themselves with haste and decorum. They were instructed to collect Mr. Wickham and to not allow him to escape from them. "But do not alert him to my purpose. You mustn't spook him," he directed.
They did so, and in no more than a half hour, Wickham was in the debt collector's custody. Colonel Foster directed his men to ask around Meryton to see what debts might have been amassed during the short time that Wickham had been in residence.
It was some surprise when Sanderson returned to him the next day, saying that between debts of honor and debts to the merchants, over twenty pounds of debt was found in Wickham's name. None of the merchants had thought anything of the debts, for most of the officers were younger sons or grandsons of gentlemen. They assumed that the bills would be paid soon enough, either when the man received his quarterly interest or by whatever relation supported him. Colonel Foster sighed and counted out twenty pounds from his purse, giving the sum over to Sanderson to pay the debts.
"You will attend Lady Cowper's niece's birthday ball, will you not?" asked Lady Matlock. Truly, it was more a command than a request, so Darcy could not do anything but agree.
"Lady Hannah is a delightful girl," said Lady Matlock, "truly delightful. She is also very accomplished. Her portraits are very lifelike." Darcy reluctantly agreed that he would dance with the lady and perhaps a few others. He could not ignore his duty to marry any longer. He would not wed any of his cousins, but he needed to give Georgie a sister. He knew of Lady Hannah, and most thought her a pleasant lady. Her manners were not so fashionable as many of the ton, and she was not a very handsome woman, but nor was she ill-favoured.
His uncle added several more names to be considered and Darcy immediately rejected all but two. He promised his cousin, and himself, that he would not marry a Miss Bingley. Such a woman would never make him happy, and she would make Georgiana miserable. His aunt spoke excitedly about several other ladies, but as they were only recently out, Darcy did not pay much attention. Likely they would be too young for him even to consider.
"You cannot mean that he should consider Miss Aubrey," said Lord Matlock, "not for anything more than a dance."
"Indeed, why not? She is a good sort of girl," said Lady Matlock.
"She is a tradesman's daughter," said Lord Matlock.
"Mr. Aubrey may be in trade, but his father was a gentleman. His brother still owns an estate."
"Miss Aubrey is but sixteen, Aunt," said Darcy.
Lord and Lady Matlock quarreled over who Darcy should dance with for some time, until Darcy was quite exhausted. The ball was not for several days, but already he was tired of it. How he wished such a thing was not required in order to find a wife.
Rosings Park, near Westerham, Kent
26th November
Dear Fitz,
Pray, do tell me all is well with you. I have never known you not to reply to a letter, so I assume it must have gone astray in the post. Still, I cannot be easy until I hear from you. Perhaps my teasing was too much for your delicate sensibilities. If this is the case, pray, forgive me. I did not mean you insult you or your dear Miss Eve Bennet. (Perhaps Edith? Elizabeth? Ethel?). Do tell me more about how you got on with her in the house.
I did receive a letter from GG telling me that you were soon to remove to town, so perhaps that is why you did not receive my letter. I shall send this one to Darcy House. GG seems to quite worship the house guests. Perhaps I might apply to her for Miss Bennet's given name, for she annoyingly only refers to the lady as Miss Bennet in her letters as well. Miss Mary is the younger, I know. GG seems to quite adore them both, but especially Miss Mary. I do hope your desperation to be away from such temptation as that which Miss E poses will not make it so you deprive GG of her friends. You know how much she needs more friends. Hennie perhaps might be considered a friend, but you know as well as I how proud Hennie has become lately. I would not hope for Hennie, or as she now makes everyone call her now- Lady Henrietta, to lower herself to befriend a mere gentlewoman even if she is a cousin. Did you know that she has quite set her cap at Lord Clare? I cannot think it good. He is such a rogue and I do not like that she spends so much time in his company.
I have had another letter from Mr. B. It seems he is able to send post more reliably now that he is on land, although the distance makes delivery quite delayed. The letters I receive now are from October. His position is not so secure as I originally thought. Although they are in a British port, France's territory begins not a hundred miles away. He says that it is only merchant ships from the French in the area, but I still cannot be easy. You must now be laughing at me, for you know I shall not be easy until he breathes free the air of England. I know you shall be happy when you hear that a different British vessel, The HMS Harriet, took as prize a slaver ship. It was a British vessel, so the scoundrels should pay hefty fees in addition to losing their vessel. There is talk of perhaps forming a blockade in West Africa to prevent the transport of slaves.
Mr. B was quite distressed that the freed would not be given such transport back to where they were taken from, but instead simply turned out near the port. They are free, but often so very far from their homes and with no way or means to support themselves or to find transportation. He offered any who desired it passage to England, which some did accept. I suppose I might employ some at Rosings, for all the servants loyal to my mother must let go. A good portion speak English or French, he says. Some had already been held for some time as they waited for a shipful of such poor captives to be readied. They learned the languages of their captors quite out of desperation. I am certain Mr. B's tails are quite revised for my sake, so my imagination makes the tales much worse than what he has told me.
Still, their stay in Africa is likely for the best. They have been able to get much more in the way of food, including fresh fruit. They were quite near the end of their supplies of fruit, and I would not like to think of Mr. B or his men becoming ill with scurvy or some other ailment due to inadequate food. It seems that for the last weeks before stopping in Africa, they were living mainly on salted meat, rice, beans, and bread. America, of course, would not share their wares with a British ship, so it has been since they were last in Canada that they could fill their hold. Mr. B still thinks he shall be here before Christmas if all goes to plan. At the very latest, sometime in January. I am quite impatient. I do wonder what repairs would take so very long, but I suppose his ship must have been in a dreadful condition indeed after the last battle. I would rather he take longer and return safely than for him to be too hasty and have something dreadful occur. Therefore, I shall strive to be patient.
Your favourite cousin,
Anne